Under the columns of the National Building Museum this December, Junior Achievement, the Greater Washington Board of Trade, and Washingtonian inducted five of our region's leaders who have done much to ensure Greater Washington remains a place where families and businesses thrive. And, listening to the reflections of Seth Goldman, Sheila Johnson, Joe Rigby, John Toups, and Scott Wilfong I was struck by the path that each of them took to find their own American Dream.
Most financial and career advice is wasted on me.
At my age, I’ve made just about every mistake possible, and so my education has literally been one of trial and error.
I got the feeling, listening to the testimonials last week for the newest inductees into the Washington Business Hall of Fame, that my experience is not unique. The lessons we learn early in life are often the ones that stick with us longest.
After in-class study on credit, interest rates, and budgeting, some 9,000 eighth graders in Prince George’s County get to visit the Junior Achievement Finance Park, a 13,500-square-foot center where students have fun living out adult financial situations, including buying cars and homes, providing child care, purchasing tickets for sporting events, and dining at restaurants.
There are 19 finance parks throughout the United States. This location, which opened in
ctober, is the second in the greater Washington, D.C. area.
On Thursday, December 3, 2015, the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, and Junior Achievement of Greater Washington partnered to provide students with the opportunity to explore the world of work by visiting nearly 50 workplace sites across the region and shadowing a mentor for the day.
The 28th annual Washington Business Hall of Fame benefiting Junior Achievement of Greater Washington was held on Dec. 2, 2015, at the National Building Museum. Five laureates were inducted into the Hall of Fame: Seth Goldman (Honest Tea), Sheila Johnson (Monumental Sports & Entertainment), Joe Rigby (Pepco Holdings, Inc.), John Toups (Planning Research Corporation, retired), and J. Scott Wilfong (SunTrust Bank, retired). They join over 100 laureates, all of whom have shaped the regional landscape and consistently demonstrated the following characteristics: outstanding business accomplishments; visionary, innovative leadership; integrity and strong core values; and passionate community engagement.
On November 17th, Patrick Dean the President of the Association of Builders and Contractors – Virginia Chapter, spoke to a group of FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) at Freedom High School in South Riding, Virginia. In addition to being the President of the ABC, Patrick is also the co-founder of Rip City, a Sport and Fitness Training center in Loudoun County. Patrick spoke of the need to be nimble in business and to constantly learn from your mistakes. He also encouraged the students to pursue their ideas, big or small. “Everyday someone has a great idea. It might not be world-changing, but it could be community-changing.”
For many of our region’s students, the ladder to the American Dream has become too steep to climb. Their ability to succeed is hampered by the gap between what’s taught in the classroom and skills they need to succeed in the modern economy. A new Champlain College study measuring how well U.S. high schools are providing personal finance education gave nearly one-quarter of states and the District a failing grade.
This October Junior Achievement® teamed up with Turner Impact Capital, whose mission is to make both a financial and societal impact through investments serving the community. At their Regency Pointe Apartments Community Day in District Heights, Maryland, members of the Junior Achievement® education team showcased our K-12 financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programs to residents; while parents from Andrew Jackson Middle School asked questions about budgeting and their student’s upcoming trip to JA Finance Park® Prince George’s County.
